It usually starts innocently.You are walking to your car after shopping when a man steps into your path. He smiles and says:
“Hey, do you have the time?” It feels harmless, just a stranger asking a simple question. But in reality, you’ve just entered a dangerous stage of what’s called the criminal interview process. In South Africa, this is how many muggings, robberies, and hijackings begin. The attacker is not really interested in the time. He’s testing you.
What is the Criminal Interview?
The “interview” is when a criminal decides whether or not you’ll make a good target. It’s not about your words, it’s about your reactions, body language, and awareness. Just like in a job interview, your answers matter. But here, the wrong answer could cost you your wallet, your car, or your life.
Common Interview Tactics Criminals Use
The Harmless Question
- “Do you have a lighter?”
- “Where’s the taxi rank?”
- “Can I borrow your phone?”
These questions are rarely genuine. They’re excuses to get close and check your response.
The Distraction
- One person chats to you while others drift in from the sides.
- Common in parking lots, at ATMs, or in crowded taxi ranks.
Space Invasion
- Standing too close, blocking your path, or brushing against you.
- They’re testing whether you’ll allow your boundaries to be broken.
Small Demands
- Asking for a cigarette, a rand or two, or help with something small.
- If you give in easily, they see you as compliant.
Silent Pressure
- Staring, circling, or making subtle hand signals to partners.
- You feel uncomfortable but can’t explain why. That’s the point.
How Criminals Interpret Your “Answers”
- Looking down, fiddling with your phone, avoiding eye contact → “Unaware, easy target.”
- Polite compliance with unreasonable requests → “Submissive, won’t resist.”
- Freezing or looking panicked → “Fearful, easy to control.”
- Confident posture, scanning surroundings, firm voice → “High risk, maybe not worth it.”
How to Fail the Criminal Interview (and Pass for Safety)
Your goal isn’t to fight the criminal, it’s to convince them you’re not the right target.
- Project awareness: Walk tall, scan your environment, make brief eye contact.
- Keep space: Step back if someone gets too close, or move so you’re not boxed in.
- Be assertive: Use a clear, firm voice. “Sorry, can’t help you,” while moving away.
- Trust your gut: If it feels wrong, it probably is. Don’t worry about being “rude.”
- Exit early: If you spot pre-attack signs, don’t stick around to see what happens.
Final Thought
South African criminals are experts at spotting weakness. The interview process is their way of testing you before they commit to an attack. Recognizing it and shutting it down quickly can often mean the difference between walking away safely and becoming another victim of crime.
The truth is, your body language, awareness, and confidence can deter a criminal before violence even starts. By failing their interview, you just might save yourself from the rest of the story.